Fossil Hill Weekly Newsletter
Wildcats in "The Know"
January 14, 2018
Fossil Hill Middle School
Email: jennifer.gonzales@kellerisd.net
Website: http://campus.kellerisd.net/school/FHM-042
Location: 3821 Staghorn Cir S, Fort Worth, TX 76137, United States
Phone: (817) 744-3050
Facebook: facebook.com/FossilHillMiddleSchool
Twitter: @Fossil_Hill
Keller ISD Winter Weather Policy
The winter season is upon us, and Keller ISD's staff understands that the District's decision to open or close schools in bad weather has a significant effect on families.
KISD also knows that students are better served – both academically and socially – by being in school. But, as always, Keller ISD's top priority is the safety of our students.
HOW DOES KISD DECIDE TO CLOSE SCHOOLS?
The decision to open or close schools in bad weather is based on analysis of all relevant factors, including:
- Information on road conditions from Transportation staff and local police
- Amount of snow and ice accumulated
- Whether precipitation is continuing
- Building conditions (such as whether facilities have electricity and heat)
- Parking lot conditions
- Temperature and wind chill
- Weather forecasts
- Sidewalk conditions
- What other area school districts are doing
WHO MAKES THE DECISION?
The Superintendent of Schools is ultimately responsible for the final decision to close schools or leave them open.
HOW IS THE PUBLIC NOTIFIED?
The official notice for Keller ISD school closings or delays will first be posted to the District website – KellerISD.net. A pop-up alert will appear on the screen of the KellerISD.net home page should campuses be closed. Official Keller ISD social media accounts (Facebook and Twitter) will also have information regarding any closings or delays.
Tune to WBAP-820 AM or KRLD-1080 AM on the radio, or look for coverage on local television stations including Fox 4, NBC 5, WFAA Channel 8, CBS 11, or KTXA 21 for up-to-date information on school closings. Keller ISD does not recommend that you attempt to call the district or an individual campus unless there is an emergency.
WHEN WILL THE DECISION BE MADE?
The Superintendent must make the decision to close schools by 5:30 a.m. or earlier so that notification can be provided to radio and TV stations and web and social media alerts can be posted. Keller ISD administrators realize that if the District waits longer to announce a closing, some parents may have already left for work, leaving students unsupervised.
WILL SCHOOL CLOSE EARLY IF CONDITIONS WORSEN?
If conditions worsen during the school day, Keller ISD may need to implement an early dismissal, but adequate notice will be given to all parents first. Although the Keller ISD staff will do its absolute best in such an instance, no perfect decision exists. If a parent feels as though it is not safe for his or her child to attend school, the District recommends the parent use his or her best judgment on whether to send the student to school.
WHAT ABOUT AFTER-SCHOOL ACTIVITIES?
If classes are canceled, all after-school activities are presumed canceled as well, unless student groups are contacted by their respective faculty advisor with alternate plans. For situations in which classes are not canceled, the District will attempt to make decisions about after-school activities no later than 2 p.m. Look for any updates on KellerISD.net or from your respective faculty advisor.
For information about Keller ISD's Severe Weather Dismissal policies and procedures, visit KellerISD.net/SevereWeather.
GT History Fair Results
Who shops on Amazon?
Talent Show Auditions on tuesday
KISD Community Ambassadors
Keller ISD is extending an opportunity to anyone interested in getting involved and learning more about the District through its Community Ambassadors program, including parents, community members, local businesses, and Keller ISD employees.
The semester-long program includes only four evening meetings at various locations throughout KISD.
If you’ve always wanted to know more about the district, how it operates, why decisions are made the way they are, and who’s in charge – now is the time.
The KISD Board of Trustees launched the Community Ambassadors group in the Spring of 2013, and it was so successful that Trustees decided to continue it by offering the program each semester. The idea is to provide you with a front row seat from which you get an inside out view of the district. Key leaders in Keller ISD will make informal and very interactive presentations offering you the opportunity to ask questions, provide comments and suggestions.
Transparency is critically important to us, and we are a listening district, so please join the Community Ambassadors program. Our doors are open; let the educational opportunity and dialogue begin.
Dates and locations for the 2018 Spring Semester are noted below:
Spring 2018
- Tuesday, January 16, 2018, at the Keller ISD Education Center (350 Keller Parkway)
- Tuesday, February 20, 2018, at the Keller ISD Education Center Annex (10310 Old Denton Road)
- Monday, March 19, 2018, at the Keller Center for Advanced Learning (201 Bursey Road)
- Monday, April 23, 2018, at the Keller ISD Education Center (350 Keller Parkway)
Each meeting is held from 6-8 p.m. and dinner is provided.
To participate, or for more information, please call the Communications Department at 817-744-1021 or email Communications@kellerisd.net.
KISD Magazine
Keller ISD is thrilled to kick-off 2018 with the debut of KellerISD_Link, a new quarterly magazine that will highlight our District’s amazing campuses, students, staff, events, and achievements to further connect our outstanding schools with our supportive community. Here is the link to the magazine:
The inaugural Winter Issue is packed with a number of exciting features, fun fall photos, a Board Member Spotlight, and a message from Superintendent Dr. Rick Westfall! You’ll also enjoy hearing from some of our students, as well as find information on all the ways you can be more involved in Keller ISD!Be sure to read about our own Brian Clark, 8th grade, featured on page 19.
Telemedicine Can help
Welcome back to the 2nd half of 2017-2018 school year! We are in the midst of cold and flu season. See below flyer for tips for staying well and differences between colds/flu. We would like to remind you about a joint program between Keller ISD and Cook Children’s. Your child can be seen by a medical provider through telehealth technology for certain sick symptoms while in the school nurse’s office. Go to www.schooltelemed.org for more information. You may directly register your child for the program at the following link: https://my.tonicforhealth.com/passage/survey/ocY0kOPfZoJMydirXW21yw/welcome
If you have already registered your child for this program, thank you!
FHMS PTA
Our FHMS PTA To Host a Minute To Win It Game Night on January 26th from 6:00 to 8:00 in the cafeteria.
We will have games like "Big Mouth", "Dress to Impress", No Hands Bowling", "Shaky Knees", "Needle in the Haystack", "On the Hook" and many more.
You may drop your FHMS student off or bring the family. The event is free. Concessions will be for purchase.
More details to come............
FHMS Students to participate in the NAEP 2018 Assessment
I’m excited to announce that our school has been selected to participate in the 2018 National Assessment of Educational Progress also known as NAEP. It is the largest continuing and nationally representative assessment of what students across the country know and can do in a variety of subject areas. Some of our best and brightest 8th-graders have been selected to take assessments in reading and science. Students who have been pre-selected by NAEP will be notified by our campus Assessment Administartor, Mrs. Jones, in the coming weeks. More details to follow as we move closer to our school’s test day. Thank you in advance for your involvement. Each NAEP assessment session will take between 90 and 120 minutes, and take place during the regular school day. The sessions are scheduled for February 22, 2018.
Please contact Mrs. Jones, your school's NAEP coordinator, for additional information about the assessment. For additional information, sample questions, NAEP publications, and classroom data tools, visit the NAEP website http://nces.ed.gov/nationsreportcard/. Thank you, again, for helping us show the world the achievement of our nation’s students by your support of NAEP - The Nation's Report Card.
Teachers
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zR1_pUdSlFg&feature=youtu.be
Students
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8drjkhe0iQU&feature=youtu.be
Parents
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RurH739zdN0&feature=youtu.be
Social Media Sites:
https://www.facebook.com/NationalAssessmentofEducationalProgress/
AVID students to take the PSAT
1. We are giving the PSAT to our 7th and 8th graders on January 20th from 9am to 1pm in the FHMS cafeteria. Please take this opportunity to have your student practice the SAT. Tests will be scored after to give you an idea of where your student stands now on this test, but more importantly, to give an idea of what you can do to prepare. Only 40 spots left! TO REGISTER, PLEASE GO TO: https://www.revolutionprep.com/partners/practice-exams/school/94114/
Apply for AVID for 8th grade and 9th grade
2. Applications are now available for students to participate in the AVID Elective their 8th or 9th grade year. Application can be picked up from room 308. AVID is an elective class offered to students who would like to prepare for four-year universities. The curriculum features writing, inquiry, collaboration, reading, note-taking, study skills, and college/career/motivational activities. College students are tutors and mentors in the classroom twice weekly, and field trips are taken to universities in the area on occasion. Students should commit to taking notes in subject area classes on a daily basis. Other requirements for applicants are satisfactory citizenship, good attendance, and average grades in all classes. If you have questions, please contact Amber Womble, amber.womble@kellerisd.net
Counselor's Corner
Houses of Honor and PRIDE Jamie.Ortega@kellerisd.net
7th Grade Houses Integrity, Leadership, & Loyalty Terry.Evans@kellerisd.net
8th Grade Houses Integrity, Leadership, & Loyalty Paul.Higgins@kellerisd.net
It’s registration season…
JANUARY 2018 (in date order)
· HS Pre-Registration Info-8th grade advisory-January 17th
· 7th to 8th Grade Pre-Registration Info-7th grade advisory-January 22nd
· 6th to 7th Grade Pre-Registration Info-CTI January 22nd & 27th
· CTE Expo @ KCal, January 27th 9a-2p Open to all students and guardians.
· Fossil Ridge High School Expo Night, January 29th 6p-8p (current 8th graders)
· 8th to 9th Grade HS Registration January 30th-February 2nd
FEBRUARY 2018 (in date order)
· Fossil Hill Middle School Showcase Monday, February 5th 6p-8p (current 6th and 7th graders)
· 7th to 8th Grade MS Registration February 5th-9th
· 6th to 7th Grade MS Registration February 12th-16th
early dismissal
Reminder that you must be in the office in person to pick your student up for early dismissal. We can't allow students to leave the school unaccompanied before dismissal.
If you have any questions, please call the office at 817-744-3050. We sincerely appreciate your help!
Nurse's Notes for The Hill
Please feel free to reach out to "Nurse Bas" anytime at nakethia.baston@kellerisd.net or at (817) 744-3050.
As a reminder, students may not carry their own medication. It must be turned in to the nurse's office with proper documentation. Please feel free to call if you have questions.
Fossil Hill Sports
We are now entering basketball and wrestling season and we invite you to support our students in representing The Hill in the bleachers and showing your spirit for the Wildcats. Games and other campus events can be found on the campus calendar link below as they are posted and will added here as well.
Ticket prices are as follows:
Adults: $4.00
Students: $2.00
Athletic Ticket Card: $25.00 (good for 15 admissions)
FHMS Boys Basketball V. Timberview MS
8th graders will be traveling to Timberview MS while 7th graders protect our court at home.
Wednesday, Jan 17, 2018, 05:00 PM
Timberview Middle School, Fort Worth, TX, United States
FHMS Girls Basketball V. Timberview MS
8th graders will be traveling to Timberview MS while 7th graders protect our court at home.
Thursday, Jan 18, 2018, 05:00 PM
Fossil Hill Middle School, Staghorn Circle South, Fort Worth, TX, United States
Fossil Hill Girls Athletics
Email: Ginger.williams@kellerisd.net
Phone: 817-744-3050
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/groups/304334219739785/
Twitter: @fhladywildcats
Fossil Ridge Sports
Fossil Ridge is a member of District 3-6A UIL alignment along with other Keller ISD high schools, Haltom, Weatherford, and Abilene. The 3-6A District Executive Committee has determined that no outside food or drink be allowed into the stadium. The decision for this new rule is primarily to ensure the safe environment for all patrons.
Use the link below to view the game schedules for basketball. Show your Panther Pride and support the kids.
Home and visitor general admission for high school games:
Presale before 4pm game day-
Student $4
Adult $6
At the gate and after 4pm -
All $8
Reserved seats:
Anytime $10